New bishop for Northern Ontario : Morris Fiddler consecrated after years-long delay
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article44326
- Author
- Puddister, Matthew
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2023 May
- Author
- Puddister, Matthew
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2023 May
- Volume
- 149
- Issue
- 5
- Page
- 1, 9
- Notes
- "Nearly four years after his election, Morris Fiddler has been consecrated as the first suffragan, or assistant, bishop for Northern Ontario in the Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh, a position arising, among other things, from the difficulty and cost of travel in the North as well as the need for suicide and addictions ministry. Elected as bishop in June 2019, Fiddler was consecrated March 11 [2023] at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in his home community of Muskrat Dam [Ontario]. His consecration was initially scheduled to take place in September 2019, he says, then rescheduled to February 2020 to accommodate clergy who planned to attend. But the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread travel restrictions and more postponements" (p. 1, 9).
- "During the pandemic, [Bishop Lydia] Mamakwa says, four of Mishamikoweesh’s clergy died in less than a year. At this time, she says, Fiddler ministered to communities where other clergy were unable to go due to travel restrictions — in one case travelling to a neighbouring community by ski-doo to preside at the funeral of a clergy member" (p. 9). Big Beaver Contracting, a local business, has "offered to provide a stipend for Fiddler, who also works as a mental health counsellor and served as a priest for nearly 30 years. Fiddler has not yet received the stipend, Mamakwa says, but the agreement is in place" (p. 9).
- "Mishamikoweesh now has two suffragan bishops; Larry Isaiah Beardy is suffragan for the Northern Manitoba area mission. The ministry of presence they provide, Mamakwa says, is important in remote Northern communities that face issues such as suicide and addictions, and where vast distances and poor infrastructure make travel difficult. ... A 15-minute ride by plane can cost almost $1,500 now, one-way' [says Bishop Mamakwa]" (p. 9).
- "Morris Fiddler is the brother of Alvin Fiddler, former grand chief of northern Ontario's Nishnawbe Aski Nation" (p. 9).
- Subjects
- Fiddler, Morris
- Anglican Church of Canada. Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh - Bishops
- Anglican Church of Canada - Bishops - Suffragans
- COVID-19 (Disease) - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Travel costs - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada. Indigenous Spiritual Ministry of Mishamikoweesh - Finance
- Nonstipendiary clergy - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada - Clergy - Salaries
- Indigenous bishops - Anglican Church of Canada
- Location
- General Synod Archives